FPN Board Talk

Part 3. Questions & AnswersAs already mentioned, Classifieds allows one to pose questions to the seller. This concept is discussed here with examples. In the first chapter of the Classifieds manual is shown how to browse the Classifieds part of the board. Let's assume we are there now already, and have a listing showing in one of the categories, like below, and we want to have a more detailed look at one of the classifieds, for example the one indicated with a red arrow. After clicking on the item at which the red arrow points, we get the screen below. The red arrow here indicates in which direction to scroll to see the remainder of this advert, and to reach the Questions option right at the bottom of the classified.Having reached the bottom part of this classified, we can now clearly see a questions block, and an Ask a Question button (to which the red arrow points).Clicking on this Ask a Questionbutton makes a message editor box appear, in which we can type a question or remark we may have regarding this particular item or the classified itself, like I've done below. When I am happy with the question or remark typed, I can click the Ask Question button in this screen, as indicated by the red arrow.Clicking the Ask Question button will save my message, and I will be returned to the screen showing the advert I was posting a question in. Do note that, as indicated by the red arrow, we now have a Questions block with an (unanswered) question in it, see red arrow, which only I can see for the time being, and the person who listed the classified.So far so good. What if someone else poses a question too? Let's pursue this, and follow what happens. Another person now visits the same advert, see red arrow, and clicks on that. For ease of reference this member uses a different skin.He'll get a very similar screen of course, just slightly adapted to the skin in use. The red arrow indicates the scroll direction again to read the whole advert and reach the Questions section.I can see an Ask a Question button again (red arrow), but no questions and/or answers yet. Since the question by the previous member was not answered yet, it will be hidden to all other members, but the poster of the advert. I want to ask a question, so let me click on the Ask a Question button.Having clicked this Ask a Question button, the already familiar message editor box appears, and as an example I have prefilled the box with a message. Underneath the message box I see the Ask Question button, on which I will click as soon as I am done with typing what I'd like to say or ask.I was done, and clicked Ask Question. Scrolling down to the bottom part of the advert I can see the Questions section again, where I now can see my question, as an unanswered question again (red arrow). Note that I can't see any other questions, only my own, so far.So, what happens on the seller side of this question and answer thing? Let's go to the seller, and check what he sees now. Circled is the name of the original poster (OP), the seller IOW. He could click on the View my Items button (red arrow), in order to see and manage all of his items listed in Classifieds.After clicking on View my Items, the screen below appears in this case. Do note that there are two questions now for the top item, as indicated with a special little note next to the title of the classified, and a count of the questions, as circled in red (follow the red arrow).Clicking on this item reveals the item screen, in view mode. I want to scroll down, in the direction of the red arrow, to reach the questions section.Right underneath the classified, I now find the two questions posed by the two different members earlier. There also are two buttons next to each, Delete Question and Answer Question. The latter is the one I want to use, for the first question first (red arrow). So I will click on that.The usual edit box appears, this time right underneath that first question, and I have started to answer the question. Do note the tick box right below the messagebox, the Make this question viewable to everybody? field, as circled in red and indicated by the red arrow. The default for this tick box is that it is marked, and leaving it that way will make this question and my answer visible to everybody on the board who happens to view this classified.Since I personally prefer to keep price discussions private, I now have unmarked the tick box (circled in red again), so that this question and its reply will stay private. I have completed my answer as well, so I can now click the Answer Question button (red arrow).Clicking the Answer Question button will save my reply or answer, and it will now appear directly underneath the question. In case I want to keep the two, i.e., question and answer, separated slightly better, I'd have to put in a line myself, f.e., a line of dashes (which I didn't do here). Note that because this is still a private question with a private answer, the colour of the message, pink in this case, still indicates it is. Since I answered, for this particular message only the Delete button is now available (circled in red). Ok, I want to get on with the second message. For this I need to use the Answer Question button in the second question (see red arrow).Clicking the Answer Questionbutton for the second question, will bring up the earlier message box again, allowing me to answer the second question. I don't mind this being a public question, so I leave the Mark this question as viewable by everybody tick box marked (circled in red) and go on to click the Answer Question button underneath the message editor box, as I have typed out my answer.Clicking the Answer Questionbutton did save my reply, and it is visible in the screen below. Because I have left the Mark this question as viewable by everybody tick box marked, the difference between the two questions and answers is now clearly visible to me. Note that the colours vary from skin to skin, although private questions and answers are in pink generally, and public ones in the skin message background colour. For the second question I now only have the Delete Question button left too (circled in red).Before I forget, I better add the Shipping toinformation in the classified description, as asked in the second question. Besides, it is mandatory to do so. Therefore, I scroll up, and click on the Edit Item button (circled in red, see red arrow).Clicking the Edit Item button brings me back to the same set of fields I went through when creating a classified, with the difference being that all fields already have the correct values, except for the one I want to change. I scroll down to the Description box, and add the information required (circled in red). Noting else needs changing, so I can go ahead and click the Edit Item button (red arrow), in order to save this information and make sure it is displayed for everybody to see.This will bring me back to the overall view of the classified, and scrolling down to make sure all is ok, I can see indeed that the shipping information now appears in the description (circled in red), and that both questions and answers are intact. Number 1 is a private message (indicated by the number 1 and a semi-circle in red), and number 2 (indicated with the number 2 and a semi-circle, also in red) is a public question and answer, number one in pink, and number 2 in light blue-grey.How does this now appear to the members posing these questions? Let's first go the member asking question 2, about the Shipping to information. The updated screen for the advert, scrolled down, now looks as below. Only question 2 and its answer is visible (red number 2 and semi-circle) to this member, but it is visible to all. Furthermore, the Description box has been updated with the Shipping to information (red arrow). To the member who posed the first question it looks a little different. He can see both questions and answers, because the first one was his own question, even if treated as a private question (red number 1 and semi-circle), bright beige background in this skin rather than pink, and the second one was a question by another member, and was answered in public (red number 2 and semi-circle), light grey background in this skin rather than the earlier blue-grey, and is therefore also visible to him. Do note that the information added in the description as requested in the second question is also visible to him in the description of the classified (red arrow).So far this manual for the question and answer part of the new Classifieds app.Warm regards, Wim

Part 2: Create a Classified. In order to create a Classified, I first need to click on the Classifieds tab (see red arrow), which is situated just next to the Forums tab underneath the board header:When you click the Classifeds tab, the following window appears, with all the categories available for posting a classified in, Add an Item button circled in red:In order to add a Classified, it doesn't really matter where I am in the Classifieds subsystem, as long as I click on theAdd an Itembutton. A new screen appears, with all the fields to be completed in the Listing a New Item section right in the middle of the screen (red arrow):Do note that all of these fields have a red asterisk postioned next to them. This means they are all mandatory. In short, all fields are mandatory. If I don't complete a field, or don't tick a box, etc., when I want to save the classified, it won't let me. I'll discuss all of the fields one by one here. Do note that I didn't highlight these with red arrows; it'll get too busy, plus I do think the field names speak for themselves and are indicated in the text in bolded, italicized and red. First up is theItem Name. I think that this doesn't require any further explanation. In this example, I have chosen an Etruria to sell (note: only as an example, not for real). The next field down is the Conditionof the item. I have to select one from the dropdown list, see below. Note that there is an option for items which are not pens, and one for a condition that does not fit the "standard" ones.Next field is the Categoryor subcategory where I want this item listed. Select the correct one please. First determine whether this is a Writing Instrument or parts thereof, or something else (choose appropriately). If it is parts of writing instruments, I select that option. If it is a complete pen or complete pens etc. for sale, I check either the Low Volume category if I don't intend to place more than 100 classifieds a year, with a maximum of 3 classifieds per week, otherwise I select High Volume. If I don't comply, my classified will be removed by a moderator without any form of consultation or feedback, I need to be aware of that!Note that Charity Auctions is a special case: these are only allowed for registered charities after consultation with moderators and admins, and work by a starting price where interested buyers will add a new price in a question - that will be dealt with in a separate part of the manual.I now have added an Item Name, have selected the Conditionof the item, and have selected a Categoryfor the item to be listed in. So far the Item Details section:Next up are the fields in the Shipping & Handing section, beginning with a dropdown list of the Currencyused for the price (to be listed later). This list contains all currencies of the world, beginning with the currencies used most often on this board (to make selection of any of those a little faster):Next up is the Paymentoption field. Again this holds most used payment options on the board, with an additional option for other payment possibilities or combinations thereof, to be described in the text for the Description of the classified, if so required:The field following this is the Shipping From field, another dropdown selection box which lists all countries of the world. Either scroll down through this and click on the correct one, or type the first letter one or more times until it appears and becomes highlighted (blue), and press the Enter key to select it.The Shipping To field follows, another dropdown selection list. The selection is somewhat more limited here for obvious reasons, and also allows for an option to indicate other countries or regions, or combinations of those listed.The picture below shows my selection of options so far for the item I am describing :On to the next section, General rules and conditions, essentially being an implementation of the rules for market place postings on FPN. I have to tick the boxes in this section to agree with these conditions. If I don't tick these boxes, I won't be able to save this classified for listing, and if I don't agree I should not really post a classified. These fields are No PayPal Fees or Personal Payment (not allowed by PayPal), Valid Email Address on FPN, which is used to contact the seller, and Unconditional Agreement with Moderation, i.e., the Fountain Pen Network, FPN for short, retains the right to disqualify a classified without any further discussion, discourse or communication, and remove it from public view. BTW, one of the reasons to remove a classified is a blurry picture, from which it is impossible to tell what the condition of e.g. a pen is.In the following image I have ticked the boxes in General rules and conditions, plus another one in Further item information, i.e.,Image(s) of Actual Item(s), i.e., no stock images etc., and not of another item. In short, I HAVE to show an image or several images to include all items on sale here, of the actual items on sale. No urls are allowed.At least one (1) image must be viewable directly in the classified, and it also must be uploaded (attached) to the classified. The latter will be discussed a little bit further down. The next field is also displayed with its dropdown list, namely Image(s) Used. This indicates the rights I have to the images I use, and who created them and/or holds the copyright.Next up is the Brand and Model dropdown list, to indicate that I actually provided the brands and models of the items listed (I already did in the Item Name actually), or alternatively, that it is not a pen, with a description either in Item Name, the classified Description, or in both (in most cases anyway, I would expect).The field following it is LE and/or Serial Number Info, which again is a dropdown box which indicates which information I have added (and shouldn't forget to add either). A good reminder IOW. Fortunately there also is an option for items other than pens.Here is the progress so far:Next there is the Nib Size,a field providing me with a dropdown box for the most common nib types, from XXF to 1.3 Italic, plus an option for Other(s) and of course the option to indicate I am not listing a fountain pen.After I have now selected my nib size, I can now continue with the Restoration Status. Not too many choices, one of which indicating it is not a pen we are dealing with here.We are nearing the end now. First of all a Descriptionbox, with the usual editor we all well know from posting messages in the forums. Add any information about the item(s) for sale here, not only the item name, but maybe a further description. Praise your wares here, the motto goes. In addition, I can also see a few more fields, in the Pricing options section, namelyAdvert Type, a radio button with options For Sale and Wanted, and Price, plus an Attachments section.I now have added a description, left the Advert Typeon For Sale (the default), and added a Price. Note that the Priceis of course the number linked to the CurrencyI selected quite a bit higher up. Also note that if I do not add a Price, or leave it at 0 (zero), it will automatically come up with FREE in the Price field when I save this classified, which is not necessarily something I want to do for an item I want to get some money for.... In short, I should not forget to put an actual number in.Scrolling down a bit further, I can now see the entire Attachments section. In order to attach an image here (mandatory!), I click on the Browse button (red arrow) to select one from my hard disk.Clicking on this Browse button will bring up an explorer window, which allows me to find the image I want to attach. It first happens to come up quite conveniently with the contents of the drive where I have stored my images, but it could well be any drive or folder, which means I would have to browse a bit through my drives and folders. As it is here, I just need to select my "fs" folder (no, not "for sale", "full size" actually), see red arrow.After double-clicking on my "fs" folder I select the correct image (highlighted in light blue), and next click on the Open button (red arrow).The screen reverts back to the classifieds editing screen, and in the text field box next to the Browse button it now shows the path and name of the image file I want to display in my classified. I now have to click on the Attach this file button (red arrow).And after clicking on the Attach This File button I get to see the following, essentially the same as before, but with an attached file added (red arrow, numbered 1). Do also note the Add Itembutton, also with a red arrow pointing to it, numbered 2. I need that in for the next step.All done now, and after a final check that I did indeed complete all the fields, I now click on the Add Item button (red arrow 2, see above), which then presents me with the actual classified, with an attached thumbnail (see red arrow, below). I could have added more files this way, but for now I thought this was enough. Do note that if I forget to click on the Add Item button, and just go back to the main Classifieds screen, I lose all the information I just added so diligently! In short, I would have to start all over again....The thumbnail is actually clickable, and will bring up the entire image in its full glory, as shown below. It also provides me with an option to Close it again, to return to the classified itself, or to Save the image for closer inspection, or maybe for later (see circled area and arrow, both in red). In the case of more thumbnails, it will even show a Next button towards the top right, to display the next full image I attached, for as many images as I actually did attach.Ok, I closed it again and scrolled down a little to see how it looks like further. Note that it now shows the Price a bit larger, as wel as the remaining time for the run period for this classified. As it starts at 30 days, the first number of days this countdown timer will actually show is 29 days, which really means it is on the 29th day of the countdown (30 days minus a second, or minus more seconds). Also note the Edit Item, Close Item and Watch Item buttons. Edit Item obviously will get me back into Edit Mode, just that the fields will have the values I already supplied. The other two buttons wil be discussed in another part of this manual.Scrolling further down I can see the remainder of the classified. Note that there now also is a Question section right at the bottom. This wil also be discussed in another part of this manual, and finally a Report button in case this classified merits reporting to the moderators, i.e., when it doesn't comply with the rules despite all the mandatory fields.And so far for the creation of a Classified. It is accomplished. :DNext steps (other parts of the manual) will be dealing with Questions, from the view point of a (potential) buyer, and from a seller's view point to, and contacting a seller for a confirmation on a deal, or a transaction.Warm regards, Wim

Part 1 - User browsingNormally, I'd start at the Forums page, and right at the top, I do find a Classifeds tab, just next to the Forums tab (circled/marked with blue).Clicking on this tab, will give me the following view, displaying all the categories and subcategories in Classifieds:Note that the general Writing Instruments category is highlighted here with blue, and it consists of three subcategories. Let me click on the Writing Instruments category itself first:Not only do I get a list of subcategories, but also a listing of items in those subcategories. Now what if I click on a subcategory, f.e., the Low Volume one:Great, just the items in the Low Volume subcategory. Let me now click on that beautiful Urushi pen I see there:I can see all the details now, plus a bunch of thumbnails of the pictures attached to this classified. Let me click on one of those thumbnails:The complete picture shows up now, and I can save the picture, or close it again to go back to the classified. What I don't see here is that if I scroll to the right top of the picture, there wil be a Next button in case there is more than one picture attached, so that I can scroll through all of them.Anyway, this is how I can look at these classifieds. Simple enough. :DWim

There seems to be some confusion with regard to the Upload Tab, as opposed to, e.g., attaching images from the options underneath the message editor box, when replying to or creating a new post. The Upload Tab is an alternative to uploading images to FPN, without any personal quota restrictions. The only limit to Upload is the file size, but as that is 1 MB, it means that there are ample possibilities to upload a picture. Any picture with a largest side of around 1000 pixels will easily fit within that 1 MB constraint.The Upload Tab, which we added as an additional service to FPN about a month or so ago, is situated underneath the board header. This appears on every page. See the picture below, Upload Tab circled in red:So, how to use this?That is not all that difficult. Imagine you are creating or editing a post., f.e, just after starting:Note that I have circled the Upload Tab in red, it is still there, right at the top of the page.So, let's add some text, until we get to the point where I'd want to insert an image:As indicated in the picture, I now need to click on the Upload Tab, and a new window or tab opens in the browser (dependent on browser settings. Here it is a new tab, and note that the old tab with the editor window is still there too (circled in red):Now I can upload an image to FPN. Note that the maximum file size is 1 MB, see red underline and arrow on left (we only have limited file space on FPN). Since that easily caters for a large image (1000 pixels on the largest side easily), that shouldn't be a problem. There are two ways to upload an image, one is by supplying a url, from e.g., your Flickr site, or by direct upload from your hard disk. I want to select a file from from my HD and do that by clicking on the Choose button, see red arrow on right.Next an Explorer window pops up, and in my case it is pointed already at the correct folder:Of course, if it isn't, the explorer window allows me to browse to the correct folder anyway.Next I choose a picture:In this case etruria02.jpg. Of course, next step is to click the Open button, which brings me back to the Upload screen. As you can see, the image name etc. is now displayed in the little Upload from HDD field.Next of course is to click on the Add Image button, where the red arrow is pointing, after which the image appears in the Upload screen. Since the image is reasonably large, dimension wise, more than the browser window is filled, so I am scrolling down through the window (as displayed here in 2 stages).Top part of window:Bottom part of window (scrolling down):As you can see, the picture is all there now, and I can also add a new picture, if I like. Better to do that one at a time, however.Also note, which is most significant, that there also is a Codes block, in this case with BBCode highlighted/selected. Selection is done by just moving the mouse cursor over those fields.The first code, Direct link, I can use in combination with the Image button in the editor, by copying the url, and pasting that in the Image Url field in the Image Button option. The seond one is direct BB-code, which can be inserted straight into the message. The third option is html code, which we don't really use here on FPN.The easiest really is to use the BBCode, and it also has another advantage, but I'll come to that in a minute.So, I select the BBCode option just by moving my mouse cursor there. Now I have two options in order to copy that code, which I need for my message. I can either press Ctrl-C on the keyboard, or right-click on the code. The latter will give me the following pop-up:Of course, I click on Copy, as highlighted in the pop-up box.I need to go back to the message editor window now, so I scroll back to the top of this window, and there it is, to the left of the tab with the Upload screen I am looking at now, see red circle and arrow. Clicking on that tab, brings me back to my message editor window.Making sure my edit cursor is positioned where I want my image to appear, I now either press Ctrl-V to insert the code I copied from the Upload screen, or I right-click, which will give me the following pop-up window:So, I click on Paste in this case. Either way, it will give me the following result:Notice the weird code in my message. That is the BBCode we saw earlier. So, you may ask, what is the advantage of this? Well, it is faster than adding an image via the Add Image button, and it also makes for faster scrolling in the editor box when editing or creating a message.Well, you may say now, but I want to see the image in the text. To which I will reply again: you can. Click the Preview Post button at the bottom of the message editor box, and the message will appear with the image in all its glory.Here follows the result after clicking on the Preview Post button. The message has appeared. Since the picture is still large, I'll show it here in two parts again, scrolled through the browser window.Top part of Preview:And the bottom part of the Preview, obviously with the editor window underneath:I can continu editing now, add more images too if I like, do more Previews, and once I am happy and done, I can now scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on Post Reply, Post New Topic, etc., depending on what I was doing (creating a reply, a new topic, or maybe doing an edit).In this case Post New Topic .Of course, once I have clicked Post, the message or topic appears as I created or edited it:And that's all there is to it!Within Upload there also is the option to manage already uploaded images, including getting the codes again, but I leave you to play with that by yourself for now.Warm regards, Wim